The Marriage of the God & Goddess

At Beltane, the fertility of the herd would often be ensured by passing the animals through the bale fires referred to as the fires of Bel. In most towns, all other fires were extinguished during Beltane, and a single special fire was kindled within the community during the celebration. The fire was jumped to cleanse and purify, but most importantly, it was jumped for fertility.

During this fire festival, Wiccans also celebrate the marriage of the goddess and god. Beltane marks the growth of the god into manhood. He transforms from a boy into a man, who begins to desire the goddess as his consort. He and the goddess fall in love. These bale fires honored the Sun god as he came to maturity and wed the goddess. Through their union, she becomes pregnant with the god.

Beltane is a fertility ritual honoring new life, the earth which sustains life, and the heightened energies of growth and spring. While the holiday focuses on the goddess’s conception, it also celebrates the marriage of the god and goddess. Without their marriage, spring would not occur, and life would not continue its cycle. Beltane is the peak of spring when all life comes forth, and the Sun god’s rays nurture the coming harvest and protect the community through providing sustenance.

There are many different ways to honor the marriage of the goddess and god at Beltane.

Handfasting

Handfasting is an ancient Celtic ritual that symbolizes the binding of two lives together. During the ritual, each person’s hands are bound to one another to visually represent the joining of the two people. A red cord or ribbon is tied (tying the knot) around the hands in a figure-eight pattern during the ceremony and then unbound later. The unbinding represents each person’s individual desire to remain together of their own free will even after the binding is removed. Attendants often tie their own knots full of blessings for the couple in the cord or ribbon, and it is later hung over the doorway or mantle in the home.

Traditionally, the union lasted for one year and one day and was renewed each year. A handfasting is the pagan equivalent of a marriage ceremony; however, it is not legally binding. Historically, it was during Beltane that men and women often pledged (married) themselves to one another. As this is the time of year when the goddess and god fall in love and marry, many neo-pagans and Wiccans like to solidify their relationships at this time of year too. Handfastings are very popular during Beltane, and the timeframe for the union depends upon the couple, with many people choosing to make a lifetime commitment.

Jumping the Broomstick

An alternative for those who could not afford or did not want a ceremony was called jumping the broomstick. A broom was placed on the floor generally over the threshold to the home, and the couple literally jumped over it. The broom symbolizes both the feminine through the bristles and masculine through the handle. Placing it upon the threshold into the home represented moving from one life into another. As the couple held hands and jumped, it was their first act of their union as a couple.

Feasting

Another great way to celebrate the marriage of the god and goddess is through food and drink. Mead and cakes are generally shared in communion as part of the handfasting ceremony. With the brew of the divine in hand and a delicious honey cake in the other, honor the fertility of the goddess with each bite. Be it a simple gesture or a grand feast, food is an excellent way to celebrate Beltane unaccompanied or with your coven.

Maypole

Maypoles are poles often made of wood or plastic that are tied with ribbons and a wreath. The pole is a representation of the god’s phallus and the wreath of the goddess’s vulva. Colorful ribbons are secured at the top of the pole, and as practitioners dance, they weave the ribbons down the pole in a pattern. While dancing in a circle, the colorful ribbons of greens, yellows, and reds overlap and intertwine to unite the goddess’s creativity and the god’s fertility. Many different songs are sung while wrapping the maypole, which celebrate life and the art of weaving. The dance is a spiral for the continuity of life, the union of the earth and sky, god and goddess.

A-Maying

When couples went into the woods and spent the night together, made love, and brought back flowers from the fields, it was called a-maying. Flower crowns were made from the May flowers, and baskets were woven as gifts. In this way, everyone could celebrate the marriage of the goddess and god, not just those who were handfasted. While this practice isn’t typical anymore, a great way to celebrate is to spend the evening with your mate. Consider going camping together as a way to go a-maying.

Altar Decorations

Beltane has so many bright and cheerful colors that it’s always fun to decorate the altar. Put fresh flowers or herbs out like hawthorn or St. John’s wort. Use bright red to symbolize passion and strength, green for growth and fertility, and white to cleanse and disperse negativity. Add a few crystals to your altar, like rose quartz or garnet, to bring forth a burst of energy.

Beltane is the ultimate celebration of fertility and love. As the young god reaches adulthood, realizes his desire for the goddess, and attracts her as a lover, the cycle of life continues on its pattern. When the goddess chooses the god as her partner in union, she becomes pregnant with the god. The fires of Beltane are lit as sexual energy, life, fertility, and purification abound. It is through the marriage of the god and goddess that the sacred dance of life continues in its infinite dance.